Builtin1904,TheWoodbineHotelwasoriginallyTheShapiraHotel.JakeandSarahShapira, Jewish Russian immigrants, came to Madisonville in the 1870's. JakeownedadrygoodsstoreontheTownSquareandranasalooninabuildinglocated behindthestore.RelocatedtotheWoodbinepropertyin1920,thesaloon(nowknownasthe BrimberryHouse)istheoldestbuildinginthecounty,circa1870.Theirboardinghouse, locatedonthesamesiteasthecurrenthotel,burnttothegroundin1903.Thetownhadjust completedanewcourthouse,oneofthetallestandmostimposinginTexas.Therailroadhad beensurveyedandwasbeingbuiltwiththedepotbehindtheShapiraproperty,andanew bankbuildingwasbeingconstructedtwodoorsfromthehotelsiteonN.MadisonStreet.In addition,thecounty'scottonproductions,untouchedbythebollweevilatthetime, continuedtogrow.TheShapira'sdecidedtorebuild.Thehotelisalandmarkfortheareaandremainsthelargesthomeinthecounty.Itis constructedoftwo"kithouses"purchasedineitherinSt.LouisorKansasCityprobablyfromSears&Roebuck.TheEastlakehouseandtheQueen AnnVictorianhousefaceeachotherjoinedbyanupstairsanddownstairsparlor.Thehoteloriginallyhad16roomsandofferedaccommodations foreightguests.Onlytheowners'suitehadindoorplumbing.Guestsusedtheouthousesandbathhouseslocatedinthebackwithtubwater heatedinthekitchen.Eventually,plumbingwasaddedtoafewrooms,butmanyweresmallrooms.ThetelephonealsocametoMadisonvillein 1904andthetown'soriginaltelephoneboothwas,andstillis,locatedatthehotel.Atthetime,itwastheonlytelephoneavailabletothe townsfolk.Duringtheconstructionofthehotelandontheeveofhisdaughter'swedding,Jakesteppedonanailanddiedthreeweekslateroftetanus.Sarah andhersonDavidfinishedtheconstructionandoperatedthehoteluntil1922whentheymovedto CrockettwherehersonMayapurchasedahotelonthesquare.Leasedtovariousoperatorsfora numberofyears,ClaraWillspurchasedthehotelin1929andchangedthenametotheWillsHotel. ClaraandherdaughterTommiecontinuedthetraditionofservingfinefamilystylemealsincluding friedchickenandchickenfriedsteak.Thehotelunderwentamajorrenovationinthemid-1930's thatalteredtheporchesandcoveredtheoriginalwoodenwallswithprotectivesiding.The Depression,aWorldWar,theabandonmentoftheraillinetoMadisonvilleandthenewfocuson interstatetravelandmotelsallledtothedemiseoftheproperty.Theyclosedtoguestsin1974and moved out in 1978.RandyandLynnePartenpurchasedthehotelin1979andcompletelyrestoredthebuildingtoitsoriginalconditionandfunction,savingitfrom demolition.Thehotelwasajewelintherough,whichshowedaftertwoyearsofmajorreconstruction.Itnowproudlyboastssuchfeaturesas 12,000handcrafted"fishscale"cedarsiding,astandingseammetalroof,restorednativevirginyellowpinewoodworkandoriginaldecorative plinthblockswithbluebonnetsaboveeachdoorwaysandwindows.Beautifulporcheswraparoundupstairsanddownalongthefrontandback ofthebuildingandhistoricallycorrectwallpaperisineachroom.ThebuildingwasenteredintotheNationalRegisterofHistoricPlacesin1980 and became a Texas Historic Landmark in 1982.RandyandLynnePartendonatedthehoteltoTheWoodbineFoundationin1997.TheFoundationoperatedthehotelasanonprofitorganization dedicated to charitable, educational and religious organizations.SusanandReinhardWarmuthpurchasedTheWoodbineHotelinOctober1999withplanstoreturnTheWoodbinebacktoitsglorydayswhenit wasthetown'ssocialcenterandhadthefinestrestaurantinthearea.Theyhopethattravelerswillagainremark,likeNormanKittreldidin1921: "There is not a hotel in Texas today, barring none, that ever served such meals as were served in that interior hamlet (Madisonville)."After20yearsinchargeoftheWoodbineHotelinMadisonville,SusanWarmuthandherhusbandWernerhaveannouncedthattheyhavesold the historic landmark to Shamshad Zaidi, but do not expect the establishment’s daily operations to change.“WhenIfirstcamehere,wewonderedhowthecommunitywouldacceptus,”saidWarmuth.“Icametotheunderstandingthatwhoeverownsthis placeisacaretaker.ThisbeautifulbuildingbelongstoMadisonville.IhavealwaysbeenproudofthefactthatIknowsomanypeoplehere.This townhastrulyembracedthishotelandthecaretakersofit.Ihaveanexpectationofthistowntowraptheirarmsaround(Zaidi)liketheyhave me.”SusanWarmuthandherhusbandWernerwillremainintheirMadisonvilleresidenceandevenassistZaidiinthetransitionoverthenextthree months.